SMC Architecture Students Win Two Awards at Cal Poly SLO Design Village Competition

SMC Architecture Students Win Two Awards at Cal Poly SLO Design Village Competition

SANTA MONICA, CA—Santa Monica College (SMC) architecture students won two awards at the 50th Annual Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Design Village Competition held April 25 - 27. The competition is one of “the most anticipated events of the year for the College of Architecture & Environmental Design (CAED).” Over 90 teams from 16 California community colleges and universities throughout California participated. SMC architecture students earned two of the three awards given: “Team Tentsion” (Winner of the “Best Theme”) and “Team Phage” (Winner of the “Best Overall” award). The Best Theme award was a tie with “Chamber of Reflection” from Mt. San Antonio College,

This prestigious event challenged students to design a structure, build it on their own campus, transport it to San Luis Obispo, hike 1.5 miles to the Poly Canyon, and assemble their structure along the hillside—and then live in it over the weekend. This year’s theme was “Nexus” and students were asked to “connect and link multiple components into a centralized structure,” per the competition’s website.

Last year—the first year of participation for SMC—the college’s architecture students won the award for “Most Innovative Design.” SMC’s architecture program faculty integrated the competition’s projects into the Architecture 32: Construction Materials and Methods course, taught by Professor William Ellsworth.

“For many students, this was their first time working with power tools and construction materials,” said Javier Cambron, SMC architecture professor. “They dedicated countless hours building their designs at the SMC Center for Media & Design, working tirelessly through midterm week and spring break to bring their visions to life.”

“Design Village was the first time I experienced how much a design can change between concept and creation, teaching me to approach future projects with greater care and thought,” said SMC architecture student Beau Carter who was on “Team Tentsion”. “Living inside an early version of my own design, surrounded by my team, was a surreal and deeply meaningful moment. I am incredibly proud of our group for winning the ‘Best Theme’ award!”

Kyle Daou, who was on “Team Phage”—winner of the “Best Overall” award—echoed Carter’s sentiment, stating that it was “a very special experience” to see his design chosen and built for Design Village. “It was the first time one of my designs has come to life,” Daou said. “I learned a lot about difficulties that may arise when you actually begin building—which you can’t anticipate in a 3D model—and it taught me a lot about how to regroup and shift a design to make it feasible.”

Samantha Louie, outreach coordinator and vice president of Design Village, said that the structure Phage captured the theme ‘Nexus’, which was intended to “not only be the architectural jargon being the center of joints and a structure, but also . . . the center point of our Design Village’s history, connecting both our past and our future.” The team “especially captured that with the joint caps they had on their structure,” she added. “The judges were especially impressed with the material used in the structure.”

In addition to Team Phage and Team Tentsion, a third SMC team who worked on “Team Pinpoint” also took part in the competition.

Santa Monica College offers comprehensive degree and certificate programs in both Architecture and Interior Architectural Design. These programs are uniquely integrated, sharing a strong foundation in core curriculum and technology, while emphasizing the design of spaces that enhance human experience.

Students benefit from a curriculum designed to prepare them for transfer to universities or to enter the workforce in entry-level design positions. Both programs are part of the Design Technology Department, providing a collaborative and innovative learning environment. To learn more about program offerings and opportunities, please visit smc.edu/architecture or smc.edu/iarc.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

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